As I stood in the pouring rain at 3:10 am on a Saturday morning in my bathrobe, I wondered just what I had got myself into.

Flash back several months to Beth reading the newspaper in bed.

"Hey this sounds fun," she said. "The American Kennel Club has their big Chicago Show next weekend."

"Why would you want to go to a dog show?"

"Don't you think it would be fun to see the dogs?" she asked.

"I've seen dogs," I replied. "I don't need to go to a show to see dogs."

"I think PJ would love it. Seeing all the different kinds of dogs. He loves animals."

Flash forward several months to Beth reading a book in bed.

"Hey it says here that retrievers are the most popular dogs in America," Beth said.

"Retrievers?"

"Yeah. You know, Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. Which do you like best?"

"I like sleeping dogs..." I said pretending to drift off before I got an elbow in the ribs."

"Come on didn't you have a dog when you were a boy?"

"Yeah. Yeah." I respond rubbing my side.

"Wouldn't it be great if PJ had a dog? What was your dogs name?"

"Tippy," I said remembering playing fetch with my best friend.

"Do you have fond memories of him?"

"I remember teaching him to shake hands," I said remembering the rewarding feeling of sucess. I recalled wrestling with my dog and just the fun of petting him. Then I pictured my parents with a pooper scooper and I realized I was now a parent.

Flash Forward several more months...

I looked on my pillow and find a printout from the internet of a little black puppy at a rescue shelter. I tried to put it aside and get into bed before I got roped into something.

"Isn't he cute?"

Silence.

Another elbow to the rib.

"Hey wake up I'm talking to you. Isn't he cute?"

"Who?" I say faking grogginess.

"Who?! Bear."

"Bear?" I said in mock surprise, "You want to buy a bear?" I look in her eyes and realize my joke isn't going to break the sales pitch.

"His NAME is bear. The fee for him includes all his shots, a microchip and spaying or neutering -- whatever they do to a boy. Isn't that a good deal?"

"Listen if we get a dog, I'll feed him, brush him and exercise him, whatever. But the poop stuff, that's your job."

"O.K.," Beth said. "I'll house train him. Come on. Wouldn't it be fun? And wouldn't it be rewarding to know you're rescuing a puppy? Let's just go see it."

"Alright. But we'll only see it. No commitments."

"I'll call and set up an interview tomorrow."

"Interview?"

"You can't just pick up a dog. You have to be approved to adopt it." Beth replied.

Adoption? Things had sure changed since I was a kid.

Fast forward several days. Beth and I are in bed. It's 3 a.m...

"Phil? Phil wake up. I think the puppy needs to go out."

"Can't you get him his own key or something."

"If he has a accident it's your fault." Beth replied. "And you're cleaning it up."

So that's how I ended up standing in the rain at 3:10 trying to coax a dog to do his business.

As I stood there, I contemplate the process of making what we call in marketing a "considered decision." I realize that products with long selling cycles tend to have very high costs. Sometimes it's the cost of the purchase. Other times, it's a big learning curve or the cost of maintenance. But once the customer has made the initial purchase it takes an ongoing relationship to circumvent buyer's remorse. Fortunately for pets, they build their own relationship and don't require a salesperson.

Long selling cycles can be frustrating for salespeople. But when you stand back and realize the commitment your customer is making, you'll realize why it takes so long. Try to think of it from the customers perspective to understand why it may be taking him so long to make a commit. It will help you be more patient and help you seal more deals than trying to pressure a customer into a purchase before he's quite ready.

Now, if you'll excuse me, Aslan and I have some business to take care of...

- Phil Sasso